Can't get enough of Hong Kong

I have come to love Hong Kong because of my mom who summered with her family in the Central district as a child.  Central is really where it's at.  You still feel British Hong Kong, and I love that.  It has culture, discipline, high fashion, great foods, and a true modern metropolitan city feel.

Visiting the city for these many years, we have a certain set of traditions or routines each time we come back: staying at the same hotel, having a Chinese feast, enjoying tapas, and trying out new establishments from international chefs.

Staying at the Mandarin Oriental is a true privilege.  The cleanliness, the service, the attention to detail - it all lives up to its reputation here in Hong Kong.  A benefit in staying at this hotel is the restaurants just upstairs.  The Man Wah has become one of our favorite Chinese restaurants in the city.  They have it all - attentive service, artful presentation, quality, and taste.

On the hotel's mezzanine floor of restaurants, Cafe Causette has a generous list of breakfast items perfect for a weekend brunch.  I'm a fan of corned beef hash, and theirs blew me away.  The plating, the quality of the beef itself and how it all tasted together was just the best I've encountered so far.  There is so much quality and finesse in it.

Across the harbour (via Star Ferry which is a fantastic way to go to Kowloon), Gateway Arcade in Harbour City has a great variety of restaurants.  Our family favorite is Sergi Arola's Vi Cool.  I can't get enough of the tapas and pitchers of sangrias.

Another international chef that has been a long stay in Hong Kong, Joel Robuchon, has recently expanded several outlets of his cafes across the city.  Le Cafe de Joel Robuchon in Gateway is a good place for dessert or for afternoon tea.

Hong Kong is really about the eating.  And I can't wait to go back for more.

View of the harbour
Mandarin Oriental Hotel

Man Wah - A Classic Hong Kong Experience

My first memories of Hong Kong dates back to the late 90s.  And from then on, the city became my respite from trips to Manila.  The city was a breathe of fresh air, and the expat community around Central reminded me of home (which was the San Francisco Bay Area at the time).  I only remember one or two meals that really stood out and that I still carry with me today.

Man Wah is a Hong Kong tradition that dates decades back.  I first dined here as a young girl over the Christmas season.  I can recall the classy fine dining setting and the proper attire of all the diners.  Growing up, I really valued all those meals my parents took our family to when we would have to dress up and indulge in course by course meals and five star service.  It was so special (and that feeling still holds true today).  And then, to make the holiday dinner even more memorable, a line of school girls came in, lined up around the restaurant, and sang traditional songs to the diners.  Wow!  As a girl who grew up endlessly replaying the Sound of Music and Almost Angels, this made me fall in love with the restaurant.

Flash forward 15+ years, and I'm still finding myself dining at Man Wah.  The restaurant remains located on the 25th floor of the Mandarin Oriental - a hotel my grandfather loved, who passed on the love to my mom, who in turn passed on that love to me.  The panoramic views of the city are reason alone to dine here.  Another reason, it's legitimately Michelin starred - and by legitimate, I mean there are other restaurants in the city who earned it by hype, but Man Wah actually earned it and continues to earn it.

And the food!  You know that feeling you sometimes get after eating Chinese food?  Oily, heavy, lethargic, etc.  There's absolutely none of that here.  So much so, we ate there three times over the course of our three day trip!  And trust me we take each meal in Hong Kong seriously since we're only there for a limited time.  Yes, Man Wah is that good.  It's just as delicious as it was in the 90s, maybe even more so.  The best part of it all, it's luxurious while being completely unpretentious.

Today, Man Wah has kept up with the high expectations of food lovers.  It's serving traditional cuisine with worldly influences and unforgettable plating.  I can't tell you which to choose, dinner or dim sum, because both are amazing.  When you have dinner here, you must get the Iberian pork.  Succulent, fried, savoury, with a hint of sweetness.  I can eat this for days.  And the dim sum was almost too beautiful to eat, but I'm glad I ate it because it's the best dim sum I've had in Hong Kong (which pretty much means it's the best dim sum I've eaten around the world).  To top it all off, the service is beyond impeccable.  The captain waiter, Richard, details the meal with such knowledge and passion.  The best part before tasting the food is when the server describes the dish and its background.  Richard excelled in this because he cares for the diners, the food, and the whole dining experience.  Even if it's pricey, the plating, the taste, the atmosphere, and the service makes you want to come back for more, and more, and more.

Deep fried codfish, preserved olive, black bean, five spices

Deep fried crab claw coated with minced shrimp

Hong Kong Hype, Part 1: Tim Ho Wan

Eating is like appreciating art.  It's subjective to your preferences and not the opinions of others.  Modern day marketing, social media, and those wanting to be of "society" have changed some dining scenes.  Eating in certain cities and restaurants has become a status symbol, rather than the joy of good food and the dining experience.

Hong Kong used to be my favorite city in the world because of its eating and vibrancy.  Unfortunately, the city has rapidly changed in the past few years; actually, the change is incredibly evident in just this past 1 or 2 years.  British Hong Kong and that Hong Kong standard have vanished.  Orderliness has given way to the crowds and clusters of mainland China rushing in.  As for the food, there still is a lot of great eating and dining in Hong Kong.  However, you can't readily trust reviews or articles because it can just be marketing or popular because it's the place to be seen or to say you've eaten there.  So really it's a matter of trying it for yourself to determine: hype or the real thing.

Tim Ho Wan at the Hong Kong Station is not the Michelin rated location, but it serves the same food in a cleaner-ish setting.  There's always a crowd and a wait at all times of the day and night.  In general, a long line means it's worth lining up for, right?  No way.  What a complete let down.  The food is ordinary and the service is absolutely, ridiculously awful.  We ordered a lot, and they treated us as though we were an inconvenience for giving them business.  They rushed us to finish our meal by cleaning all the tables around us, putting up chairs, mopping the floors, AND turning off the lights and shutting down the front gate halfway.  Whaaat?  This is the food service industry?  This is what people line up for?  This is a reflection of Michelin?  Literally ridiculous.

Hong Kong Hype, Part 2: Catalunya.

English menu at Tim Ho Wan HK Station

Pineapple Bun
Pale and soft with no texture on top,
while lacking a punch of BBQ pork taste inside.

Home Cooked Chinese Food

Spending the afternoon at my best friend's new place in Tung Chung naturally led to dinner at his place.  After years of friendship, it was time for him to whip up a home cooked Chinese dinner.

After walking across town between 2 grocery stores and 1 Chinese medicinal shop (for red dates) for ingredients, dinner prep was underway.  Four dishes for 3.  We all chopped, cooked, and cleaned for the meal.  It was like a family dinner.

The meal started with pork bone soup with apples and carrots which naturally sweetened the broth.  After our stomachs were warmed, we dug into the main event.  Steamed chicken with red dates, mushrooms, ginger, and so on.  Steamed ground pork with tofu and salted egg.  And seasonal greens sauteed in garlic and olive oil.  I love that the main dishes steamed.  I never knew Chinese food could be this healthy.  It's a great feeling at the end of a meal when you're full, satisfied, and guilt-free from all that you ate.  

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If you can't see the slide show, check out my Flickr album: HK Home Cooking

Dim Sum in Tung Chung

Before heading home from our one week family vacation in Japan, it was time for a brief couple of nights in Hong Kong.  We frequent Hong Kong for two reasons: 1) We usually patronize Cathay Pacific, so it's a mandatory stop.  On flights back home Manila, it's always an option if we want to stopover or stay longer in Hong Kong.  2) I love Hong Kong and I can never get enough of this city.

Two nights in Hong Kong allowed for a full day to catch up with my best friend in his new place in Tung Chung.  Tung Chung is located relatively close to the Hong Kong International Airport.  For those of you who enjoy bargain shopping, there is a nice outlet mall with imported brand names located right at the MTR stop.

Before checking out his new pad, we walked around the outlet mall for something to eat.  After a week of Japanese food, I was ready for some dim sum.  So Federal Palace was the perfect place.  Even though we were only 2 people, I still wanted to enjoy some classic Cantonese bites while in Hong Kong.  I left the ordering to the local, and I just requested ordering plates I don't always get.  My love for constantly trying new things.

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If you can't see the slide show, check out my Flickr album: Tung Chung Dim Sum

Revisiting Shang Palace

There was a time in my family's eating life when Chinese food was a weekly staple.  It was our usual Sunday family/friends gathering.

Then there was a time when I took a loong break from Chinese food.  All those weekly meals made me need that separation from the routine.

These days, I really only have Chinese food when I'm in Hong Kong, China, or Taipei - it's where it's best.

But, occasionally, you just can't fight the craving.  So one Sunday night, my family went to Shang Palace.  Since we were four people, we were given a selection of set menus (the a la carte menu is also always available).  One in particular stood out because of the variety of dishes, even a Hainanese chicken course thanks to the new Singaporean chef.

From the night's meal, I was really impressed with the new chef.  He has brightened up the dishes with some delicious classics and tasty additions.  The Hainanese plate was a standout - the best I've had in Manila so far.

(Unfortunately, I went back a couple weeks later, but the poor service made us want to stand up and leave.  The manager appeased us and promised to make up for it next time.  It's unfortunate that the new chef is bringing back deliciousness, but the service does not match.)

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If you can't see the slideshow here, check out my Flickr album: Shang Palace

Hong Kong Favorites

Back in Hong Kong and back to my favorite eats!

There are so many fantastic restaurants in Hong Kong, and yet I love repeating some of these favorites every time I go back. We spread out our Hong Kong trips so that we start to crave for these memorables bites. Paper-thin Peking duck, dim sum, local dessert, noodles, Japanese cuisine...All this talking about it has me craving for it now. I have to go back to Hong Kong soon!

Ye Shanghai
Xiao Long Bao - Not as thin as Din Tai Fung in Taipei and Shanghai, but a true contender. Great pork filling, flavorful soup, and a thin-enough wrapper.
Peking Duck - Literally paper thin. It's like biting into a thin waker cracker that's actually duck skin. Amazing.
Dong Po - Personal-size, perhaps bite-size. Pork belly braised in sweet soy sauce and wine and topped with a fluffy little steamed bun.

Hip Katsu
Pork Katsu - Flaky, crusty, crispy pork katsu. The pork itself is tender and succulent. A great option for katsu in Hong Kong.
Oyster Katsu - I love oysters. I love katsu when it's done well. Oyster Katsu here is a must order. Flaky, crusty, crispiness around a plump, juicy oyster. That's memorable eating.

Honeymoon Desserts
Perfect anytime of the year. Hot dessert soups warm you up and comfort your stomach. Cold dessert soups cool you down and refresh your palate after a hearty meal. There are so many choices for any mood.

If you can't see the slide show, check out my Flickr album: HK Repeats

Hotel Eats in the Peninsula Shanghai

The first time I visited Shanghai last year, my parents and I stayed at the brand new Peninsula Shanghai. It was still on it's soft opening and it had already impressed up. Peninsula Hotels really stand up to their reputation of great service and a memorable stay.

So for my second trip back to Shanghai, we happily came back. After long days of touring and eating through Shanghai, it's such a great feeling to come back to a comfortable, clean hotel.

Last time, we dined in the Lobby Lounge for breakfast and at Sir Elly's for a special dinner. All the meals were excellent and memorable.

This time around we had breakfasts and also a late night meal in the Lobby Lounge. The food is satisfying and filling, and the portions are generous! After a long day of flying and driving, settling into the hotel with a comforting meal is the best way to end the day.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Peninsula Shanghai Lobby Lounge

Aside from the Lobby Lounge, we also tried out the Chinese restaurant, Yi Long Court. I was a bit disappointed that they served only Cantonese cuisine and not Shanghainese cuisine. When I'm in Shanghai, I want to have all the local specialities.

That disappoint lead to greater disappointments. The food was decent and the service was poor, especially for a Peninsula establishment. What happened?? They were all young guys who were not trained for high end Chinese dining. You'd expect the Chinese restaurant in Peninsula Shanghai to be really impressive and memorable.. sadly, that was not the case at all. You're definitely better off leaving the hotel for a Chinese dinner. If the service improved, I think the food would have tasted better. This was definitely one of those cases where a negative affected the whole experience.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Peninsula Shanghai Chinese

Chinese Sweets at Sweet Dynasty in Taipei

Dessert first to whet your appetites for Taiwanese eats.

One of my favorite food aspects of Taiwanese cuisine is all the sweets. Even if a meal fills you up, you still are tempted with all the dessert houses filling Taipei. And if you're really too full, you can have these sweets as snacks after walking off some of the calories.

Because we were craving for sweet tofu (tofufa), we were taken to Sweet Dynasty. Earlier in the year, my best friend in Hong Kong took my family to the location in Hong Kong.

That whole steaming bucket of tofu is a real treat. Fresh, warm, silky tofu instantly warms your stomach. With a little sweet syrup, this is a delightful and comforting snack or dessert.

Here are some pictures of the tofu barrel and some of the other sweet treats we had to satisfy our sweet tooth at Sweet Dynasty.
(Place your cursor above "Notes" below to read the captions for each photo.)

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Sweet Dynasty

Noodles & Dumplings at Elements Mall

One of the best comfort foods that always hits the spot is noodles. Homemade noodles just brings it all up to another level. For Chinese noodles, Xia Mian Guan is a pretty good place to enjoy noodle soups and dry noodles - homemade in minutes.

Aside from noodles, they have a decent selection of dim sum dumplings to complete the meal. It's no where close to being as good as Din Tai Fung, but it's still a comforting meal.


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The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Xia Mian Guan

Cantonese Dim Sum in Hong Kong - That's where it's at.

I seriously cannot find a good place for dim sum here in Manila. I've tried all the "good" ones, but they are no where close to being as good as those in Hong Kong.

So when in Hong Kong, I indulge in some quality Cantonese dim sum! Lei Garden in IFC is totally the place to go for high quality Cantonese. Everything is fresh and really full of taste. Make reservations because this place always fills up fast.


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The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Lei Garden IFC

Dim Sum at Edsa Shangri-La's Summer Palace

Since I arrive here in Manila last year, I've been in search of a Hong Kong quality dim sum restaurant. My next restaurant in the search: Summer Palace at Edsa Shangri-La.

Overall, it was just ookay. I don't think I would go back, though. I'd rather go back to Shang Palace at Makati Shangri-La where the atmosphere was more pleasant.

The atmosphere here was..for lack of a better description.. very gold and traditional dim sum setting Chinese. I know, I know, we're in a Chinese restaurant. But when you pay a high price for Chinese cuisine, the atmosphere is usually more modernized. I hope for a certain level of classiness with it comes to the decor. Here, it was a bit over done and kinda tacky. It just didn't satisfy my personal preferences.

The food was actually not bad at all.. it was about average. For my expectations though, it just wasn't outstanding. Plus, I totally got that heavy, oily, starchy feeling that you typically get after an average Chinese meal. At high quality places, you typically don't get that because of better ingredients and better chefs.

So after trying a handful or so of the highest rated ones here, I find myself resigned that there might not be a quality dim sum place here. Whenever I'll crave really good dim sum, I'll just have to wait for my next trip to Hong Kong.

Place your cursor above "Notes" below to read the captions for each photo.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Summer Palace

Dinner in Yuen Long

For dinner, my best friend and I went back to Yuen Long to meet up with some friends for a big dinner. We were all hungry from a long day of running around. Our feast was filled with local foods. For dessert, we walked a few blocks for even more local treats.

I love eating local when I'm anywhere in the world. And by local I don't just mean the local food of the country, but I also mean the local food of the regions.

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Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.

Lunch in Yuen Long

Hong Kong is like my second home in Asia. There's so much of the city that I have yet to discover. On my last trip, I spent a couple extra days with my best friend who showed me around Yuen Long. Yuen Long is a town in New Territories that still feels like old Hong Kong. It's full of markets all throughout the day and night. People are constantly eating!

By getting lost in finding this restaurant, I was able to walk through a lot of the town. It's so cool how many restaurants and food stalls there are here. And when we finally found this particular restaurant, it was well worth the confusion.

Sichuan Potato Noodles. It's translucent and very chewy. The texture is almost like eating a firmer rice cake. As for the spice, we ordered level 2 of 5. I cannot imagine what 5 would be like!! I was already crying and sweating from this level 2. But it was so good. I'm growing to like spicier and spicier foods. It makes you hungrier for more to eat. Thankfully, I also ordered soy milk. Wow, that really helped relieve my palate and cool me down.

Following the meal, I was taken to the food stalls to enjoy some milk tea at a teahouse (which is featured here). It was a nice, small glass that I savored. This is probably best milk tea I have tasted so far!

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Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.

Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong

Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons has created quite a hype. It is the only Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong with a full 3 Michelin stars. Going into the restaurant, I was excited and expecting a lot. Three Michelin stars is a huge deal. I've been fortunate enough to dine at some Michelin rated restaurants in San Francisco and New York City, and quite of few of those were 3 starred. They all had that high level of quality service and amazing memorable food. So this is exactly what I was expecting.

To my sad surprise and disappointment, my expectations and hopes were let down. Quite frankly, I've had better Chinese meals with better service in other non-Michelin rated restaurants in Hong Kong. The food wasn't extra special. The service wasn't outstanding. Lung King Heen has done a fantastic job, though, with their marketing and PR.

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Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.

Crystal Jade Xiao Long Bao at HKIA

Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is one of my favorite airport around the world. Why? Because of the food, naturally. It has more than just the fast food and cold deli sandwiches you'd find in American airports. There are real sit down restaurants. Plus, the lounges, like Cathay Pacific's lounges, offer some great meals between transit flights.

To kill time and quiet my stomach, I tried out Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao. It's based in Singapore and has expanded across Asia. I've been hearing it has some pretty good xiao long bao, so I totally wanted to try this out. The soup dumplings and the noodles are quality and satisfying. Overall, I'd rank this in the top 5 of my best xiao long bao.

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Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.

Dining at the W in Hong Kong

What I love about staying at nice hotels is that, more often than not, the hotel restaurants are really good. In our latest stay in the W Hotel in Hong Kong, their newest restaurant opened. Sing Yin serves traditional Cantonese cuisine in a contemporary atmosphere. The prices are definitely hotel prices, so it will likely attract more tourists and expats than locals. The food, though, is authentic and quality. They served one excellent and generous plate of roast goose! A memorable plate like that makes me tempted to go back again another time.

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Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.

Hot Pot in Hong Kong!

I love the change of seasons. The weather changes, the scenery changes.. and the food changes! Seasonal ingredients and seasonal meals.

When the weather gets colder in Hong Kong, people bulk up in their jackets and coats, and they head in groups to enjoy some hot pot. Growing up, I've been more accustomed to Japanese Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki. To experience hot pot in Hong Kong is such a treat!

My best friend, who is a great guide for local eating, took me to a local place in Wan Chai called Tack Hsin (the site is all in Chinese. This review is pretty good if you want to see an English write up).

What I loved about this style of hot pot is that you get to choose your base broth. When the broth comes out in the middle of the table, it's already so delicious. This is a list of broths offered.

I hope the weather is still cold the next time I'm in Hong Kong! I can't wait to discover more local eats!

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Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.

One of my favorite lunch spots in Hong Kong - Ye Shanghai

Whenever I visit one of my favorite cities in the world, I usually go to back to restaurants that I really enjoyed from previous visits. One of those restaurants is Ye Shanghai. Ye Shanghai serves traditional Shanghainese cuisine. I mostly grew up with Cantonese cuisine during Sunday dim sum meals or family dinners. Since I've been traveling in other parts of Asia, I've been really enjoying Shangainese and Taiwanese cuisines.

At Ye Shanghai, both the dim sum and the entrees are delicious and memorable. The setting is clean and contemporary. The food is quality,fresh, and authentic! I love discovering new items on the menu each time we visit. On this particular trip, I tried and fell in love with the River Shrimp and the Crispy Roasted Chicken. Soo good! I can't wait to go back!

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Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.

First Meal in Hong Kong - Lunch, Part 1

Since I've been going to Hong Kong for this past year, I've been staying at the W Hotel because of it's unbeatable convenience (Airport Check-In, Airport Express Train, MTR lines). The hotel is located within the Elements Mall, which has boutique shopping and a selection of restaurants and cafes.

While waiting to check into our room, we had our first meal in what is turning out to be one of my favorite restaurants in Elements Mall, Xia Mian Guan. Whenever we eat here, we usually pair it with the restaurant across the walkway, Senryo (to be feature in my next post in two days). So because Xia Mian Guan opens a half hour earlier, we started the first part of our lunch here.

Noodles and steamed dim sum is soo comforting after a long haul flight from San Francisco. This place totally welcomes you into Hong Kong.

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Check out my Flickr album if you can't see the slide show here.